A couple of weeks ago, Amazon sent me this wonderful e-mail that said if I pre-ordered the latest
Harry Potter book before a certain date, I'd get a $5 gift certificate to use sometime in August.
Since there are two new
Doctor Who DVDs coming out in August and since it seems that it can be hit or miss as to whether or not they're easily available locally (they usually are, but gas is too high to spend much time or effort chasing them all across town), I decided to take advantage of the offer and use the five bucks toward the two new DVDs.
I read the instructions, placed my order and felt pretty satisfied with myself....
So, we get to Saturday. Saturday morning, I got up, worked and then cruised out to my favorite local hang-out for breakfast. I'd volunteered to be part of a spin-a-thon Saturday and after taking in enough calories to power myself spinning for at least three weeks (I love a good Southern breakfast!), I headed out. The spin-a-thon was at the Cool Springs Y and I headed over that way, hoping I'd digest enough to get on the bike. I'd signed up for a 10 a.m. slot becuase we were supposed to have some kind of instruction at that time. I got there early and passed a couple of bookstores.
I sighed. I wanted my new Harry Potter book. But I had visions of it arriving later that day and sitting patiently on my doorstep when I got home.
I got in, did some spinning, won a door prize and then headed up to the Maryland Farms Y to take advantage of the outdoor pool. Now, let me say this--the Maryland Farms outdoor pool is the Cadillac of Y swimming pools. First of all, they have five lanes dedicated to lap swimmers, which I love. Second of all, it's an Olympic sized pool so I can see just how in shape I really in and where I need to work to get in better shape using it. (Most indoor and outdoor pools have 25 meter lanes, about half the size and it's easy to get used to knowing you've got the wall to help you out ever 25 meters instead of every 50).
I changed, got in, did some laps and got out of the pool. It was a warm summer day so I sat on a deck chair for a bit, sipping some water and drying off in the warm sun. I had brought a book with me, but honestly I was in the mood for my new
Harry Potter book and try as I might, I couldn't get really into the book I had with me.
I eventually got up and headed for home, visions of me sitting in my easy chair and reading a chapter or two dancing in my head.
Got home. No book on the doorstep. Checked the mailbox. Nothing.
Now, I'm starting to get worried. So, I fired up the Internet, logged onto Amazon and found....my stupid order hadn't been sent. It would arrive maybe sometime by the end of July. Now, I'd read all the instructions and followed them to get the book here on the day it came out. I sighed and wondered what to do. I got back into the car, went to Wal-Mart and found the book. I plunked down my cash for it, came home and cancelled my Amazon order, sending them a note of complaint about my order status.
Which this excursion had eaten up most of my time I had set aside for reading and while I did read about five pages, I didn't get very far on Saturday.
And I was kind of annoyed--I had a perfect time, by the pool and with great weather that was perfect for reading. And it was wasted. I passed at least three bookstores and several other places that I could have picked up the book on the way there. But for some reason, the Amazon system glitched.
Oh well...looks like I'll be paying a bit more for those
Dr Who DVDs.
That said, I've read the first 200 pages of the book and so far, so good. If you've finished, don't tell me. I don't want to know!
posted by Michael Hickerson at 7/23/2007 03:44:00 PM |
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